Overhead door



Sept. 19, 1961 A. J. HARSCH 3,000,048

OVERHEAD DOOR Original Filed March 9. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 jl lf. Z

INVENTOR. ARTHUR d. HA RSCH A TTORNE Y5.

Sept. 19, 1961 A. J. HARSCH 3,000,048

OVERHEAD DOOR Original Filed March 9. 1955 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR.

5i ARTHURJ. HA RS CH 4 32 BY 46: 3 @M,M,MY@% 34 E "Q 34 ATTORNEYS.

United States Patent G 3,000,048 OVERHEAD DOOR Arthur J. Harsch,Eggertsville, N.Y., assignor to Morrison Steel Products, Iuc., Buffalo,N .Y. Original application Mar. 9, 1955, Ser. No. 493,089. Divided andthis application May 2, 1958, Ser. No.

2 Claims. (Cl. 16-128) This invention relates to improvements insectional overhead door and track constructions, and more particularlyto the so-called sectional or multi-panel overhead door types such asare currently in widespread use for residential and commercial garagedoors and the like.

The present application is a division of copending application Ser. No.493,089, filed March 9, 1955, and now abandoned.

It is an object of the present invention to provide an improved door andtrack construction as aforesaid, the component parts of which may beshipped to the trade from the factory in knock-down condition andsubsequently assembled and installed by relatively unskilled personswith utmost facility.

Another object of the invention is to provide in a sec tional overheaddoor as aforesaid improved means for hinging together adjacent panels orsections of the door, so as to facilitate assembly of the door in thefield, while at the same time providing a rugged and fool-proof hingedconnection between the door panels.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will appear from thespecification hereinafter.

In the drawing:

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of a sectional overhead door and trackconstruction of the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a fragmentary end elevational view of several door panels ofthe construction of the invention, shown in hingedly connected relation;and

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along lines 33 of FIG. 2.

As illustrated in the drawing, a door of the invention may comprise anydesired or required number of sections or panels such as areindividually designated generally at 20 and which are readily fabricatedas identical subassembly components comprising plates formed of sheetmetal or molded plastic sheets or the like which are of generallyrectangular form and preferably comprise panel portions 22intermediately beaded as indicated at 24 and more deeply corrugated attheir junctures as indicated at 26, for stiffening purposes. As shownmore clearly in FIG. 2, for example, each panel piece 20 is inwardlybent at its upper edge as indicated at 28 and terminates in a forwardlydirected reversely bent edge or pad portion 30 for abutting contact witha reversely bent edge pad portion 32 formed on the inturned bottom edgeportion of the panel piece next adjacent thereto and thereabove when theadjacent panel pieces are relatively assembled by hinged connectionstherebetween, as will be explained hereinafter. Thus, each panel piece20 is inherently stiffened against twisting or binding deflections bymeans of the beads 24 and the corrugations 26 and the top and bottominturned edge and pad portions 3032, as explained hereinabove.

At their opposite ends, each panel piece sheet 20 is embraced by achannel-sectioned metal strip 34 which may be conveniently spot-weldedor bolted or otherwise permanently affixed to the opposite side edges ofthe panel sheets; thereby completing formation of a boxtype structure inthe case of each door panel sub-assembly. As illustrated in FIG. 1, ifthe completed door is required to be of such a width dimension as tocall for relatively long door panel sheets, it may be required and/ orpreferred to add intermediately disposed vertical K 3,000,048 PatentedSept. 19., 1961 stiifeners as indicated at 36. The use of suchstiifeners is optional, but in any case they may be formed to comprisestruts of pressed metal or plastic or the like, shaped generally tocomplement the sectional contour of each door panel; and they arespot-welded or otherwise suitably attached thereto so as to provideindividual stiffenings for each door panel.

Also, an additional optional stiffening device may be employed inconnection with each door panel 20, if desired, in the form of a trussbar as indicated at (FIGS. 1 and 2). The truss bars 40 may comprisesimple angle irons or U-sectioned pressed metal or plastic piecesspot-welded or bolted or otherwise suitably aifixed to the door panelsheets so as to run lengthwise thereof, as may be preferred. Thus, itwill be appreciated that use of the vertical reinforcements 36 and ofthe horizontal truss bars 40 are entirely optional, and that they willbe employed whenever the thickness and stiffness characteristics of thesheet stock and the dimensional requirements of the door panels dictatethe use of such additional stiffening devices in order to provide theoverall door assembly of suitably rigid form.

To hingedly interconnect the required number of subassembly door panelspreviously fabricated as aforesaid and shipped to the job indisassembled relation, the lower edge of each door panel sub-assembly isfitted at its opposite sides with a pivot bracket piece 44 (FIGS. 2 and3) which is bolted or otherwise afiixed as indicated at 45 to the panelend piece 34 and is shaped so as to include a downwardly extendingcircularly contoured nose portion 46 which journals in a concave,arcuately surfaced abutment bracket 48 which is spot-Welded or rivetedor otherwise suitably affixed to the corresponding upper side edgeportion of the next adjacent door panel disposed therebelow. Eachbracket 44 carries by means of a metal screw 49 (FIG. 3) a pivot pin 50which slip-fits into and through a similarly shaped circular opening inthe corresponding end piece 34 of the door panel next adjacenttherebelow.

Thus, the pivot pins 50 at opposite ends of the door panels hingedlyinterconnect the adjacent door panel sections in articulated relation sothat they may follow the curved door trackway when being moved betweenclosed and open positions, as will be explained hereinafter. It willalso be apparent that the ballsocket type bearing relation of themembers 46-48 provide mechanical reinforcements for the pivot pins 50against excessive shock loads, such as whenever the the door is slammeddownwardly into closed position, or the like. In order to facilitatefinal assembly of the door installation on the job, assuming that thedoor panel sub-assemblies have been previously shipped to the job indisassembled relation; the bolts 45 are employed to mount the bracket 44to the upper door panel so that whenever the parts are relativelyassembled and the bolts 45 are tightened, the hinge connections betweenthe adjacent door panels are permanent unless subsequently deliberatelydetached by means of suitable tools.

Thus, it will be appreciated that whereas only one form of the inventionhas been illustrated and described in detail, it will be apparent tothose skilled in the art that the invention is not so limited but thatvarious changed may be made therein without departing from the spirit ofthe invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a multi-section door including first and second door sections, animproved door section pivotal connection comprising, a pivot bracketsecured to the lower portion at each side of said first door sectionwith such pivot brackets depending from the first section to overlap thesecond door section, a pivot pin extending laterally from the dependingend of each of said pivot brackets and pivotally received in said seconddoor section, a pivot bracket connected to the upper portion of saidsecond door section at each side thereof, each of the depending ends ofthe first pivot brackets including a curved bearing surface formedthereon concentrically about the pivot axis of said pivotpins, each ofthe last pivot brackets having a complementary curved bearing surfacereceiving the bearing surface of an associated one of said first pivotbrackets.

2. In a multi-section door including first and second door sections, animproved door section pivotal connection comprising a pivot bracketfixed to each side of said first door section with such pivot bracketsprojecting from the first section to overlap the second door 15 section,pivot means extending laterally from the projecting end of each of saidpivot brackets and pivotally received in said second door section, apivot bracket fixed to each side of said second door section, each ofthe projecting ends of the first pivot brackets including asemi-circular bearing surface formed thereon about a center common withthe pivot axis of said pivot means, each of the last pivot bracketshaving a complementary semi-circular bearing surface receiving thebearing surface of an associated one of said first pivot brackets, saidsemi-circular bearing surfaces being adapted to bear in mutuallyabutting relation and relieve said pivot 10 means from door-slammingshock loads.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS1,755,852 Wagner Apr. 22, 1930 1,860,198 Moore et a1. May 24,19322,300,265 Siess Oct. 27, 1942 2,315,030 Whitechurch Mar. 30, 1943

